Excavator



T T O M R, E D c M H.

April 20 1926.

EXCAVATOR Filed June 5 1924 25 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. l

ATTORNEYS.

April 2o, 1926.

H. MCDERMOTT EXCAVATOR Filed June 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheef 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

April 2o, 1926. 1,581,278

H. MCDERMOTT EXCAVATOR Filed JuneV 5. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR.

AmRNEy.;

Patented pr. 20, 1926. i

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.-

HENRY MCDERIJITT, OF MILW'AUKEE, VISCONSIN, ASSIGTOR T0 IEICDIE.IRJMIO'FIV ME- CHANICAL CO., OF IRON RIVER, M ICHGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

nXcAvA'roR.

Application filed June 5, 1924. Serial No. 717,993.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY McDnnMo'rT, a citizen of 'the United States, residing -at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of l/Visconsin, have invented certain'v new .and useful Improvements in Excavators, of which the following is a specifica1 tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to an excavator.

It relates particularly to an lexcavator for use in mines to load the cars.

1n accordance with the invention, as preferably embodied, an excavatingbucket or scoop is mounted in a frame for rotation to pick up the ore or material and discharge it into a second bucket or loader arranged to empty its load into a mine car.

The buckets are mounted upon a single frame or carriage and so arranged for coopera-tion together that the machine may beV used in openings or tunnels of mines where the height of the drift would prohibit the use of excavators used heretofore, and ynecessitate removal of the ore by handshoveling. f

An object of the invention is to provide an improved excavator of simple and compact construction. y

Another Objectis to provide an improved excavator having an actuator for the bucketl rotatably mounted in a frame or carriage, the `bucket being directly7 secured to the actuator.

Another object is to provide an improved excavator having 2in-excavating bucket and an actuator therefor, the actuator being adapted to receive the bucket on the return stroke so that it clears the muck.

Another object is to provide an improved excavator having excavating and unloading buckets mounted for coopera-tion together upon a single frame or carriage.

Another object is to provide an improved excavator having an actuator for the bucket rotatably mounted in a frame or carriage, the actuator working under fluid pressure.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, an embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings, in which: Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section;

Fig` 2 is a plan view, partly in section;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail central sectionsVV of the control valve for the actuator; and

F 7 is a view, partly in section, looking toward the left in Fig. 4. Y

. The invention comprises, in general, 'a frame or carriage l, an excavating bucket 2, and an actuator 8 for the bucket, the actuator being mounted to the frame for rotation with respect thereto. Y

The actuator 3 comprises a cylinder 4,

heads 5, and a plate or cover 6. These parts. are assembled together for rotation Yon a shaft 7. The ends 8 of shaft 7 are reduced and fixed to the ends of members 91of the-A V7 and yslidably fitted within cylinder .4 between 'the heads 5 thereof. The shaft 7 may be provided ywith a slot andthe piston 12 inserted therein, as shown;d The Apiston will 'thereby be iiXed againstrotation with respect t0 the shaft. The excavating bucket 2 is pivoted` directly to the actuator by means of lugs 13 on the cover 6 and lugs 14 oni the bucket. 'A pin 15 passes through thel'ugs to form the pivotal connection. The bucket 2 is provided with lugs Vor stops 16, arranged to engage the cylinder` 4 to limit the movement of rotation of the bucket in one direction with respect to the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1. Y

The forward edge of the bucket; may be provided with suitable teeth 17 for breaking up the muck. y

The reduced ends S of shaft 7 vided with passages 18 and 19.

The passage 18 leads to the upper side of piston 12, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, and is connected by a pipe 2O to the valve seat 21 of a valve 22.

The passage19 leads to the under side of are propiston 12, and is connected by a pipe 23 to the valve seat 21, as shown.

`The valve 22 is provided with a central passage 24 `connected to an air supply by a pipe 25, and arranged to register with either of the pipes 2O and 23 upon rotation of the valve by means of a suitable handle or lever 26.

The valve 22 is provided with a passage 27 arranged to connect pipe 2t) with an cxhaust passage 28 in the valve seat when the valve is moved to connect pipe 23 with the supply pipe through the passage 24, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper side of the piston 12 will then be open to exhaust and the under si-de thereof placed under pressure to cause rotation of the actuator in a clockwise direction about the shaft 7, as viewed in Fig. 1.

A passage 29 in the valve is arranged to connect pipe 23 to an exhaust passage 30 when the valve is moved to connect pipe 2O Vwith the supply pipe 25 through the passage 24, as shown in Fig. 6. r1`he upper side of the piston 12 will then be placed under pressurel and the lower side thereof open to exhaust to cause rotation of the actuator in a co-unter-clockwise direction until the stops 16 engage the cylinder 4.

The exhaust passage 30 may be restricted, as shown, to provide a cushion on the return stroke of the excavating bucket and prevent a too rapid rotation of the actuator back to its initial position.

A track or guide 31 is supported from the end of each arm 9 by means of a bracket cast integrally therewith. r1`he tracks 31 are arranged so that rollers 33 mounted at each side of the bucket 2 ride upon the tracks to hold the bucket against rotation in a clockwise direction with respect tothe actuator 3 until the bucket is in position over the unloading bucket. At this time the rollers 33 will leave the tracks and permit the bucket 2 to drop under the action of gravity to the position shown in Fig. 4, to discharge its load into the loading bucket.

A shaft 34, to which a sprocket wheel 35 and a pulley 36 are fixed, is mounted for rotation in brackets 37 cast integrally with the outer en-d of the frame 1. A chain 33 connects sprocket wheel 35 with a sprocket wheel 39 fixed in any suitable way to one of the heads 5 for rotation therewith, as shown 11'). 2;

One end o-f a cable 40 is fixed to the pulley 36. The other end of the cable is secured to a bail 41 for the loading bucket 42. The cable 40 extends from under the pulley 36 so that when the actuator 3 and sprocket wheels 35 and 39 rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the cable 40 will unwind from the pulley 36.

The loading bucket 42 is provided with rollers or wheels 43 which ride upon tracks 44 fixed to the frame 1. Nhen the cable 40 unwinds from pulley 36, the bucket 42 falls backwardly and rolls 4down the tracks 44 under the action of gravity. The length of the cable is such that when the excavating bucket 2 is carried to its uppermost position by the actuator 3 and the rollers 33 are about to drop from the end of the tracks 31, the loading bucket 42 will be in position at the lower end of the tracks 44 to receive the load from the excavating bucket.

The loading bucket 42 is provided with hooks 45 at each side thereof to engage a cross member 46 of' the frame 1 for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The frame 1 is pivotally mounted at 47 to a frame 43 provided with a curved track 49 and caterpillars 50. A worm wheel 51 and a roller 52 are fixed to a shaft 53 rotatably mounted in frame 1 in any suitable way, as shown in Fig. 1. A second shaft 54, provided with a worm 55 arranged to drive the worm wheel 51, is mounted in any suit-able way to the frame 1. Hand wheels 56 are fixed to the ends of shaft 54 to rotate the shaft and cause the roller 52 to roll upon the track 49 and swing the frame 1 about the pivotal connection 47.

The actuator 3 an-d the excavating bucket 2 are thereby swung on the are of a circle to work across the drift.

Rollers 57 may be mounted in the frame 1 at either side of roller 52 to engage the track 49 and hold the frame 1 against movement about shaft 53 as a center.

A plate 58, provided with teeth 59, may be pivoted at 6() to the frame 4S to hold the excavator against backward movement when the bucket 2 digs into the drift.

rFhe caterpillars 50 may be driven by means of sprocket wheels 61 and 62 carried by frame 48 and connected by a chain 63. A gear wheel 64, fixed for rotation with gear wheel 62, may be driven by a gear wheel rotated by a hand wheel 66, as shown in Fig. 1.

The frame 43 and caterpillars 50 are shown as a preferred means for mounting the frame 1, but of course any other suitable means may be used for this purpose.

A ballastbox 67 is pivotally mounted at 68 in suitable brackets 69 secured to the rear end of frame 1. The box 67 may be filled with ore to act as ballast to equalize the tendencyv of the excavating bucket to pull the forward end of the frame downwardly when it digs intothe drift.

1 VEhe operation of the excavator is as folows:

The hand wheel 66 is rotated to move the caterpillars 50 and carry the excavator up to the drift.

Either hand wheel 56 may then be rotated to swing the frame 1 about the pivot 47 until the actuator' 3 and excavating bucket are in the desired position with respect to the drift.

Valve 22 is then moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 to place the under side of piston 12 under pressure and connect the upper side thereof to the exhaust passage 28. The actuator k3 will then rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, and carry the excavating bucket 2 into the drift.

At this time cable 40 will unwind from pulley 36, and the loading bucket 42 will roll down the tracks 44.-

lVhen the loading bucket reaches the end of the tracks 44, the rollers 33 on the excavating bucket will drop from the tracks 31, as explained above, to permit the excavating bucket to drop and discharge its loa-d into the loading bucket, as shown in Fig. 4.

The valve 22 is then moved to shut oftI the pressure supply.

Movement of the valve to the position shown in Fig. 6 places the upper side of piston l2 under pressure and connects the under side thereof with the exhaust passage 30.

The actuator 3 will then rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and pull the bucket 2 out of the loading bucket 42.y At this time, of course, the cable 40 is being wound upon pulley 36 and the loading bucket moving upwardly upon the tracks 44.

IVhen the excavating bucket 2 clears the rear end of the loading'bucket 42 itwill drop by gravity into the V-shaped opening in the actuator provided by the ycover 6. rIhe excavating buckety is thereby received by the actuator 3 lon the return stroke so that it returns on a shorter radius, and clears the muck.

V/Thenthe buckets reach their initial positions, as shown in Figzfl, the valve 22 is moved to cut off thepressure supply.

The upper ends of the. tracks 44 are curved upwardly, as shown in Fig. l, so that'the forward rollers 43 will engage therewith before the cable 40 4has been completely wound upon pulley '36. Continued rotation of pulley 36 will then cause the rear rollers of the loading bucket to leave the track and the bucket to rotate in va clockwise direction about the axis of the. front rollers 43, until the hoo-ks 45 engage the cross member 46.-

The loading bucket will then discharge its load into the mine car positioned below, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l.

The parts are so designed that the'pulley 36 will continue to rotate a slight amount so that the front rollers 43 will also leave he track, and the bucket will rotate a slight amount about the cross member 46 as a center. The loading bucket 42 will come to rest in the position shown in Fig. l, with the front rollers 43 a slightdistance above the tracks 44.

When the machine is started and the cable 40 unwound from pulley- 36, the loading bucket 42 will drop until the front rollers thereof engage the tracks. This initial movement of the bucket will be relatively rapid so that the bucket will store up suffireturn movement of the loading bucket 42.

Automatic means may be provided to co operate with the valve 22 to shut off the pressure supply when the buckets reach their extreme upper and lower positions.

The box 67 may be rotated with respect to the frame l to dump the ballast therefrom into themine car to facilitate movement of the excavator from one in the tunnel. y

The piston 12 may be provided with slots at the edges thereof to receive steel strips 70 and springs 71 to press the strips outwardly against the inner surface of the cylinder' 4. VAn air tight fit is thereby in-` sured between the pistony and the cylinder.

The reduced ends 3 of shaft 7 and the clamps lO may be provided with registering keyways to receive keys 72. Additional means are thereby provided to prevent rota,- tion of the shaft with respect to the frame l.

The cover 6 for the cylinder 4 may be provided with reinforcing ribs 73.

Various changes off'structure and arrangement of the parts maybe adopted without departing from the Vspirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. In an excavator, in combination, -a frame, anv actuator rotatably'mounted in said frame, a bucket pivotally connected directly to said actuator, and means'to effect rotation of said actuator. f y

V2. In an excavator, in combination, a frame, a shaft xed to said frame, anl actuator mounted for rotation on ,said shaft, said actuator comprising a cylinder and heads at either end thereof and a cover plate xed thereto to fit said shaft, a piston slidably fitted within said cylinder between said heads, said piston being fixed to said shaft, a bucket pivotally connected to said actua-- tor, and Va valve arranged to effect a change in pressure between opposite sides of said position to another ypiston to cause rotation of said actu'ato about said shaft.

3. In an excavator, in combination, a frame, an actuator mounted at one end thereof, an excavating bucket connectedto said actuator, a loading bucket mounted for movement upon said frame, connection between said frame and said loading bucket to effect movement thereof with respect to said lexcavating bucket, said` actuator and said connections being arranged for coopera- Cil tion together to move said buckets in a predetermined manner so that the excavating bucketjvill discharge its load into the loading bucket when said excavating bucket is at the end of its forward stroke, and means to effect movement of said actuator and said connections together.

4. In an excavator, in combination, a frame, a shaft fixed to said frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted on said shaft, a pistou fixed to said shaft and slidably fitted within said cylinder, a valve, passages leading from said valve to either side of said piston, 'said valve being adapted to effect a change of pressure between opposite sides of said piston to cause rotation of said cylinder about said shaft, and a bucket connected to said cylinder for movement therewith.

5. ln an excavator', in combination, a frame, an actuator mounted at one end of said frame, an excavating bucket connected to said actuator for movement therewith, a loading bucket mounted upon said frame for reciprocatory movement with respect thereto, connections between said actuator and said loading bucket to move said buckets for cooperation together so that said excavating bucket discharges its load into said loading bucket when said buckets are substantially at the ends of their forward strokes, said connections being arranged to return said buckets to their initial positions and to place said loading bucket in position to discharge its load, and means to effect movement of said connections.

6. in an excavator, in combination, a frame, a shaft fixed to said frame, a cylinder mounted for rotation on said shaft, a piston fixed to said shaft and slidably fitted within said cylinder, a valve, passages leading from said valve to either side of said piston, said valve being adapted to effect a change of pressure between opposite sides of said piston to cause rotation of said cylinder upon said shaft, an excavating bucket pivotally connected to said cylinder for movement therewith, a loading bucket mounted upon said frame for movement with respect to said excavating bucket, connections beween said actuator and said leading bucket to move said buckets for cooperation together so that said excavating bucket discharges its load into 'said loading bucket when said buckets are substantially at the ends of their forward strokes, said connections being arranged to return said buckets to their initial positions and to place said loading bucket in position to discharge its load, and means to effect movement of said connections.

7. in an excavator, in combination, a frame, an actuator rotatably mounted in said frame, a bucket connected to said actuator for movement therewith, said actuator being arranged to move said bucket forwardly and return the same to its initial position, said actuator being recessed to receive said bucket on the return stroke thereof so that said bucket returns on a shorter radius.

8. In an excavator, in combination, a frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, a cylinder mounted upon Isaid shaft for rotation with respect to said frame, and a bucket connected to said cylinder for movement therewith, said cylinder being arranged to carry said bucket forwardly and to return the same to its initial position, said cylinder being recessed to receive said bucket on the return stroke so that the bucket returns on a shorter radius.

9. An excavator comprising a frame, a fluid-pressure motor carried thereby and having a cylinder supported for rotary movement upon operation of said motor, and a bucket connected to said motor for actuation thereby.

l0. In an excavator of the character described, a frame, a motor supported by said frame and including a part mounted for rotary movement about an axis extending longitudinally thereof, a bucket, means connecting said bucket to said part for actuation thereby uponv said movement of the same, and means forcontrolling the operation of said motor.

ll. An excavator comprising a frame provided with tracks and means for supporting and positioning said frame with respect to the material to be worked, a loading bucket mounted on said tracks for forward and backward movement along the same, an excavating bucket associated with said frame and arranged for movement with respect thereto to discharge its load into said loading bucket when the latter is in one of its extreme positions, and actuating means common to said buckets for effecting said respective movements thereof.

12. An excavator comprising a frame provided with tracks and means for supporting and positioning said frame with respect to the material to be worked, a loading bucket mounted on said tracks for forward and backward movement along the same, an excavating bucket associated with said frame and arranged for movement with respect thereto to discharge. its load into said loading bucket when the latter is in one of its extreme positions, and a fluid-pressure motor for effecting said respective movements of "said buckets.

in witness whereof I have hereto affixed my signature.

HENRY MGDERMOTT. 

